Bearfax
Grizzly old fart
That's fine Bearfax, its your opinion and everyone has a right to have one.
I also see some people have gripes that dont align with mine and which I dont agree with, but that is their opinion.
I have no issues with dce taking the money he was offered. However what comes with that is responsibility to be that player. He could be brilliant, but too often at club level erratic or missing.
I have no issues with players leaving Manly, though I might get disappointed.
Players that pull the 100% Footy with Weidler leaving the club to be scrutinised with journalists and punters easily able to read between the lines of what he was selling doesn't sit right with me.
If he moved on from manly in a normal respectful manner, for me id remember him as a player who could do freaky things, but always frustrated me with his lack of game management when needed, and playing the game no matter what the scenario was, just throwing the dice at the craps table. No hard feeling though.
The fact many have hard feelings show the way dce has played and the way he left is on the nose for many people, more than those that support him like yourself. Their opinion is valid too.
See this is where I disagree strongly. He is the one player in this team who has shown commitment. He may be slowing down this year but he's the oldest first grader around. What do you expect? The fantasy point system testifies to his commitment through stats that have him regularly one of Manly's top three. The Dally M top players included DCE 2021 (5th) 2022 (7th) 2023 (2nd) 2024 (3rd). That's including every other player in the comp. Only once 2021 was another Manly player (Turbo) ahead of him. These are supposedly experts of the game picking them. And yes you can challenge, but where's the facts
He may be erratic at times. He may over play his game but he's holding together a team with only a hand full of top players and coaches who seem to struggle with the concept of strategic defensive patterns. As Fulton stated time and again, the first issue of business is defence. Get that right and you're better able to control your game. That's not DCEs fault. He's one of the best defensive halfbacks in the game.
No player, no matter how great, is going to win you games without those issues being addressed. I read the criticism and its all over the shop about DCE. Some say commitment, some are angry that he may sign with SC (while other stars did exactly the same and were never heavily blasted about it), some say he kicks poorly, some say he makes the wrong decisions, some say he takes the big money, yet it was virtually identical to what Foran left the club to play with Parramatta for etc etc. They seem to blame him for a whole range of issues that in fact many others do and seem to be overlooked, not because they are better, but because they are more liked. You look for fault you'll find it, but why are you looking for fault in the first place. To show because you dont like him, its justified. I'm sorry i just don't see it. I'm reading nothing but conjecture and an emotional reaction but little tangible fact. Many just don't like him but the reasons are vague. So admit it. Its not because he is not a champion player. Its because you don't like him.